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Malcolm Kelly anxious to get back in the mix for Redskins

Santana Moss is perhaps the only receiver on the roster with a comfortable spot on the depth chart. Each of the other 10 receivers is battling for a position, and it's a safe guess that third-year receiver Malcolm Kelly has not started camp the way he probably hoped.

Nursing a sore hamstring, Kelly was relegated to sidework during Saturday morning's practice and might not be back at full speed for a couple of days, said Coach Mike Shanahan.

"I think any time, especially getting a new coach, we got a lot of receivers in, you never want to be sitting down while everybody else is practicing," Kelly said Friday, following the team's afternoon practice.

Kelly had injured his hamstring training with quarterback Donovan McNabb last week in Arizona, but took the field on Thursday and Friday, participating in most of the drills. He apparently aggravated the injury, though, and will have to take it easy for a few days.

Shanahan said Kelly "had a little bit of a pull."

"I don't think it's a bad pull," Shanahan said, "so hopefully in the next couple of days, he'll be ready to go."

But the timing isn't good. Kelly was limited during the team's offseason workouts due to injury and began training camp buried on the depth chart. Spending the opening days of camp on the sidelines won't give him many opportunities to impress coaches.

"Any time you miss reps, you're giving somebody an opportunity to win a position. Obviously it doesn't help him," said Shanahan. "But there's nothing he can do about it except get treatment three times a day and do what he can do to get back on the football field."

"If you don't believe in what you can do, then you probably should be worried about it," Kelly said on Friday. "I think everybody has to have a sense of urgency, but at the same time, you go home and lay your head down, you know what you can do.

"It all goes back to you believing in what you can do. If you feel like just because somebody's been in the league for 10 years, you should lay it down, then you have a problem," Kelly continued. "Even those guys would tell you, they're coming in here fighting for every position that everybody else is."

With 11 receivers on the roster, only five - maybe six - can reasonably expect to be with the team when the rosters are trimmed to 53.

"I don't want to isolate anybody out at this time because we've got a lot of people competing," Shanahan said. "Santana Moss is really the only guy that we've got whose been there that's a proven veteran that's played week in, week out. Everybody else right now's competing."

As eager as he might be to fully practice, the key for Kelly might be to allow the hamstring to fully heal.

"As I told him, you've got to be smart," Shanahan said. "You can't just go out there and set yourself back another two weeks. When it's healthy, it's healthy. I think he'll know. I said, 'Just be smart. Don't go back a day early and set yourself back.' I said, 'You know your body, you understand it.'"

1. The Redskins, with AH as the most obvious example, were not in shape last year. CP26... was not in good shape last year.

2. Shanahan knows a team needs to be in good shape to win. He implemented a rigorous conditioning program that most players participated in to improve their overall fitness. They participated in many days filled with cardio drills all spring long.

3. Shanahan has set standards for the team, and ALL the players know what they are.

4. AH is learning on the side, participating in meetings, and improving his cardio conditioning. He is not being punished or ostracized. He is working to attain a fitness level that Shanahan believes is best for him and the team.

5. The Redskins will be a better team with an in shape AH on the field for more than 3 plays in a row. Shanahan is working towards this goal. Perhaps for the first time in his professional career, somebody is making AH both meet standards and exert himself to be the best he can be. He has coasted on raw talent and anger on the field up to now.

Its really that simple. Efforts to twist this into a Shanny vs AH grudge match are wide of the mark. Men in a team environment want direction, they want high standards, and they want accountability from all. The Shanahan Redskins as an entity are providing the 80 roster hopefuls with all of the above. They will be a much better team because of his leadership. With, or without, AH. Absent a trade, AH will be a very very productive player for the Redskins.

MK and DT are both in danger of not making the team, but MK is in more danger. I think DT is down on the depth chart, but I think it is more of a motivation tactic. If MK cannot stay healthy, then he has got to go - we need production not excuses. After a 4 - 12 season really no one is safe, battles everywhere!

TE Fred Davis » His athleticism was on display again this morning. On one route, the linebacker and corner could not get to their depth quick enough before he got to the outside for an open catch. Another time, he made a nice catch at his knees and immediately bounced up and ran. Very fluid. Can’t imagine many tight ends could have made such a play.

RB Clinton Portis » He’s starting to look spry and making some nice cuts. On one run, he sucked Brian Orakpo to the inside then made a sharp cut to the outside for a nice gain. He showed good burst on another run as well.

K Graham Gano » OK, he was kicking without a rush so take it for what it’s worth, but he only missed one field goal attempt and that one was knocked off the uprights. It’s a good start for the kid.

RT Jammal Brown » He was in the latter category yesterday, but he seemed to be more consistent this morning. I’m guessing it’ll be like this for a few weeks as he adapts to the right side. But when I watched him, he didn’t seem to get off-balance as much as he was Friday.

QB Rex Grossman » He was on target a lot this morning. His arm is not a cannon by any means, but his timing was right. He threw one out that must have traveled 40 yards (for only about a 10-yard gain), but the ball arrived as the receiver made his cut.

C Casey Rabach » Has controlled the middle in a very quiet way. He and Artis Hicks worked well on the combo blocks vs. Ma’ake Kemoeatu on some cutback runs.

DC Jim Haslett » Coaches don’t usually make the list, but I have enjoyed watching the many looks from the defense. Very creative. More on that later.

SS LaRon Landry » Was probably the most physical player out there (not always to the offensive players’ liking), but was active near the line of scrimmage.

TE Chris Cooley » He dropped four passes, showing poor hands for one of the few days in his career. Cooley did have a couple decent blocks against linebackers. But the drops killed his morning.

LS Nick Sundberg » Heard some criticisms of him on Friday and then this morning he had a couple poor snaps on field goal attempts. Ethan Albright is not out of the picture; not at all. Young long snappers don’t get many chances to fail in training camp.

WR Malcolm Kelly » His hamstring sidelined him again. For a guy who’s had injury issues, that’s a bad sign for his future. Kelly knew he had to practice at the start of camp, but he had to know he was risking further injury. Now it’s uncertain when he’ll return.

DT Albert Haynesworth » Dude, come on.

LB Robert Henson » Now, he actually did some decent things. But he dropped two passes over the middle. For a defense trying to create more turnovers, that’s not what you want. Give him credit for being in the right place, but make the grab.

QB Colt Brennan » Needs to pick it up. In one succession, he threw high to Logan Paulsen, made Devin Thomas wait a long time on an out route and then on a double move to Thomas, the throw never had a chance. The safeties weren’t fooled at all on that play, but not sure if it’s because Brennan didn’t draw them away or for another reason. Regardless, Lendy Holmes made an easy read. Like Colt; but has a ways to go.

NG Anthony Bryant » The big fella needs to get lower at the snap. Not sure the nose tackle should be higher at the snap than the other defensive linemen.

if AH wants to be in charge, then he can start by joining the NFL coaching intern program.

Posted by: moodlymoodlymoo | July 31, 2010 3:32 PM

Or Haynesworth can continue "resting his legs", "suffering from swelling in the knee" and generally living a life of leisure while his teammates go through two-a-days. Shanny can't make him do much physical work now. AH holds the ultimate trump card. I personally don't think AH is the type of guy who'll be heartbroken if he's not on the field in training camp. He remains, imo, a bad signing by Snyder. Shanahan shouldn't compound problems by trying to outwit him.